News & Public Affairs

Wood storks may not be so endangered anymore listen

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Tags: wood stork, environment, wetlands, endangered species, Audubon Society, birds

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing that the wood stork be upgraded from its status as an endangered species to just threatened. Dan Ashe, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced plans to reclassify the species during a conference call this morning.

“Wood storks in the Southeastern U.S. no longer face imminent danger of extinction and that’s thanks to decades of conservation work across the region.”

Wood storks have been protected under the Endangered Spe...

Scientists warn Florida grasshopper sparrows on the brink of extinction listen

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Tags: birds, endangered species, Florida

Scientists are warning that a type of sparrow native to Florida is on the brink of extinction. There is an emergency effort to save Florida grasshopper sparrows before it’s too late.

Florida grasshopper sparrows have been on the endangered species for 26 years. Dr. Reed Bowman, Director of the Avian Ecology Program at Archbold Biological Station says this subspecies has been endangered for such a long time because the vast majority of land on which it depends has disappeared.

“It’s o...

Why a bird advocacy group opposes a wind farm in the Everglades Agricultural Area

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Tags: wind power, alternative energy, Everglades, Audubon, birds

The Palm Beach County Commission recently approved the Sugarland Wind construction plan. But despite the benefits of a renewable energy project, it’s being opposed by some environmentalists. They say Florida doesn’t have enough wind and it’s in the Atlantic Flyway for migratory birds. In a letter, the Clearwater Audubon Society says “Siting a wind farm in the [Everglades Agricultural Area] is flat out irresponsible.”

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Audubon receives grant to protect beach nesting birds listen

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Tags: Audobon Society, TogetherGreen, birds

The St. Petersburg Audubon Society has received a $9,000 TogetherGreen national innovation grant to assist volunteers in protecting beach-nesting birds along the Gulf Coast this summer.

This morning, WMNF spoke with Dave Kandz, the conservation chair of the St. Petersburg Audubon Society.

The grant will enable volunteers to protect beach-nesting bird colonies along Gulf Coast beaches beginning in April.